Electric vehicles (EVs) aren’t just for the rich and famous. Sure, you may have seen the occasional Tesla and thought, “I could never afford one of those.” But the truth is, there are many affordable EV options, as well as rebates from utilities, car dealerships, and the federal government that make EVs cost competitive with traditional gasoline vehicles right now. (And the Tesla Model 3 is now essentially unbeatable in the $25,000–60,000 range.) Also, remember, there’s no contest when it comes to the low operating cost to fuel and maintain an EV. In some states it’s twice as expensive to fuel with gasoline, and if you’re charging your EV on solar, you’ll save both your wallet and the environment.

There’s clearly an economic incentive to drive an EV, but you might be thinking, “I don’t want to end up stranded on the side of the road with a dead battery.” You’re not the only one with this fear. Among respondents to a 2018 AAA survey who are unsure or unwilling to go electric, 63% said there aren’t enough places to charge and 58% said they feared running out of battery (i.e., “range anxiety”). Even so, the U.S. had over 1 million EVs on the road as of September 2018. But the lack of sufficient charging locations continues to pose an obstacle to widespread EV adoption — a critical step in addressing climate change.

In response to the charger shortage, cities and states have announced plans to increase public charger installations. Los Angeles hopes to install 25,000 EV charging stations by 2025, up from 1,800 today. And New York recently announced a $250 million investment in DC fast charging stations to be installed along major corridors and at JFK Airport.

EVmatch Charging Host, San Diego, CA; image credit: EVmatch

But consumers don’t have to wait for more public charging stations to become available. The California-based startup EVmatch is mobilizing the sharing economy to immediately increase public charging options and make EVs accessible to everyone. With the free EVmatch app (also on Google Play), you can find and reserve chargers rented out by homeowners and businesses. If you have a charger or plan to install one, you can list it on EVmatch to earn extra income and help others drive electric.

EVmatch is empowering a new generation of EV drivers who lack home charging access. Renters — which make up over 1/3 of U.S. Households — and multi-unit dwellers now have access to reliable and convenient EV charging. By leveraging a network of private charging stations, it’s easy for anyone to find and book EV charging near home, work, or wherever your next road trip takes you.

EVmatch launched its peer-to-peer charging network in 2017 and is operating throughout California and Colorado. To accommodate the growing demand for reservable charging, EVmatch recently expanded its hosting platform to commercial properties, including small businesses, hotels, and apartment complexes. Commercial sites simply install a compatible WiFi-enabled Level 2 EV charger and create an EVmatch hosting account to join the network. Hosting on EVmatch helps businesses attract new customers, satisfy guests, and earn passive income during off hours.

Drivers clearly want to see more charging options before they switch to EVs, especially people without home charging access. EVmatch’s peer-to-peer network provides exactly that. By joining EVmatch, you’ll help drivers make the switch to clean transportation in your community — a switch that may prove decisive in the fight against climate change.

About the Author:William Truesdell is the sales, marketing, and communications specialist for EVmatch. William leads outreach and partnership efforts to expand the company. He’s a part of the Colorado Electric Vehicle Coalition (CEVC) and its outreach and marketing working group, which is overseen by the Colorado Energy Office.

Previously, William worked in the political sector managing nonprofit, candidate, and issue advocacy campaigns across Colorado. In 2017, he worked for elected officials at the Colorado State Legislature to move the ball on energy and climate policy.

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